Solar energy is globally ubiquitous, and while the U.S. solar industry is growing, cheap imports currently dominate with over 90 percent of the market share. When they flood the market, their products are often basic large-scale modules, lacking aesthetics, architectural integration, and innovation.
Aesthetic Green Power (AGP), together with SPD Lab and Solar Mobility Corp., is an organization founded on the belief that quality solar energy can be both functional and aesthetically pleasing while increasing the scope for application and innovation. It has proven that transforming a building into an icon of sustainability and elegance is now an attainable goal. This is why it refers to its products as active building materials.
Quality=Longevity=Sustainability. This mantra is intertwined in AGP’s approach to assure that each product meets today’s needs and stands the test of time, contributing to a more sustainable future.
“We formed an organization to offer innovative, U.S.-made products that are architecturally appropriate and visually appealing,” says Joe Morrissey, CEO of Aesthetic Green Power.
“Active Building products have extensive applications in commercial buildings, greenhouses, transportation, and more. Collaboration with partners is paramount, bringing more innovations to solve critical problems. Let us all work together to make a difference in climate change,” says Frank Pao, CEO of SPD Lab and Acting CEO of Solar Mobility Corp.
Unlike standard, monotonous solar modules, the organization excels in designing architecturally appropriate solar units that blend seamlessly with various infrastructures—from overhead transportation systems to rooftops and canopies. It focuses on a variety of solar technologies, including solar electric, solar thermal, and other solar conversion technologies, while also exploring renewable energy sources like biomass. Its cutting-edge solar technology with building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products seamlessly fuses art and functionality, changing the perception of solar energy as purely utilitarian.
To make this mission a success, AGP, along with SPD Lab, has collaborated with a diverse group of dedicated professionals across countries. These partnerships have enabled the company to innovate and address the prevalent issue of solar manufacturing being monopolized by cheap imports, with at least 90 percent of U.S. solar products being made overseas. Proudly, its products are made in the USA, allowing customers to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives.
"Though silicon is still in abundance, we should use it wisely by building products aiming to last 40-50 years to be more sustainable"
Next-Gen Technology: Driving Efficiency, Cutting Costs
Originally a Swiss company, Atlantis Energy Systems, Inc., later became an American company and owns the Sunslate IP. After the technology was perfected, it was installed in numerous housing subdivisions in Sacramento, and installations soon expanded throughout the U.S. and Europe. Considering the incremental advancements in solar efficiency, the company invented the BITERS (Building Integrated Thermal Electric Roofing Systems) technology, which could double solar efficiency in the Northeast and more than triple it in places like California and Arizona, helping achieve net-zero energy. Consequently, the company was awarded “World BIPV, Niche Player of the Year” by Frost & Sullivan in 2009. Though BITERS was successful, installation posed a significant concern due to the potential for errors. Since then, advancements have been made to prevent errors and shorten installation time. In 2017, AGP began a partnership with Columbia University’s engineering department. AGP handles manufacturing, while SPD Lab handles R&D. To educate professionals and students, SPD Lab and Columbia Engineering jointly wrote a book, Building Integrated Photovoltaic and Thermal Systems: Fundamentals, Design and Applications by Huiming Yin, Mehdi Zadshir, and Frank Pao, published by Elsevier Academic Press in 2022.
SPD Lab expanded its development operations to the U.S., enhancing its product line by manufacturing larger Eternit panels from the same high-grade class A material and laminating its solar cells onto these expanded substrates. This resulted in a robust, rapid-installation system that allows for 54 panels per 100 square feet, compared to earlier smaller plates that only accommodated 76 panels per 100 square feet. Both versions of solar panels support BITERS.
Over time, the AGP team observed that the system required numerous connectors and skilled, certified installers, making it a premium and costly product, typically used in upscale homes within the top 10 to 15 percent of the market.
The company decided to offer a more economical solution, and SPD Lab developed a tall slate product, increasing the output from 20 watts to 60 watts per panel to cover a larger area. AGP also provides a product called MegaSlate that produces around 200 watts of energy and can withstand extreme weather conditions. By designing a frame that can hold either 12 tall slates or four MegaSlates, along with the thermal components, SPD Lab has created a system tested to withstand extreme high winds of up to 125 mph.
Labor costs are another element to be addressed. Recognizing that roofing labor can be both costly and hazardous, SPD Lab has developed a 48-square-foot module designed to be hoisted onto slate roofs by crane in a single lift. This module includes a thermal component to extract heat from underneath and a solar electric component above. Unlike standard solar modules, which can cause roof leakage, this approach involves a plenum between the solar panel and the attic, preventing heat from migrating into the attic and reducing cooling costs.
The entire setup sits on a frame with connecting points for both electrical and thermal components. It can be craned into position and secured to pre-installed cleats. Each module locks into place, and subsequent modules can be connected seamlessly. This reduces labor costs, speeds up installation, and offers a solution that can be finished with natural slate, ceramic, or fiber cement plates matching the building’s color scheme, resulting in a single roof plane with lowered labor costs. This method also avoids the need for systems that mimic asphalt shingles, which can trap heat and hinder efficiency. The goal is to maximize the amount of solar electricity generated from the roof, and AGP has succeeded in this mission.
For example, a homeowner in Gloucester, MA, reaped the benefits of the technology’s potential to maximize solar energy. He previously used fuel oil to heat his home, but by installing AGP’s Sunslates and the thermal system underneath, he cut his fuel oil costs in half. Thermal energy from the roof preheated the air for his fuel burner, reducing his fuel oil consumption while generating all the electricity he needed for his home. The system seamlessly blended into his elegant home’s design, with no unsightly rectangles on the roof.
“Our products are built to last, with warranties extending up to 25 years or more,” says Morrissey. “To make sure their longevity, we continuously track performance over time, a testament to the durability and effectiveness of our products. Till now, we haven’t heard single callbacks on longevity concerns for our past projects”.
Partnerships that Foster Growth
To this day, AGP has sustained relationships with former Swiss colleagues and various industry giants, combining forces to its best advantage in global competition. It maintains a strong presence in the transportation sector, partnering with Ottobahn, a German company specializing in green mobility solutions.
Currently, it is in the process of developing a new transportation system for Boston, actively pursuing federal grants for the project. Collaborating with the mayor’s and governor’s offices in Massachusetts, Solar Mobility Corp. aims to establish a transit system capable of traveling at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour within dense urban areas and up to 120 miles per hour between cities, all powered by renewable energy sources.
Together with Ottobahn, our organization is also working with the Autobahn, a federally controlled-access highway system in Germany, to develop a canopy system. This will supply energy during daylight hours and store energy for nighttime operations using a solar thermal concentrator system and biomass. The aim is to create a 24/7 energy system for transportation.
At the same time, our organization has partnered with designers who have over 40 years of experience with Disney, Euro Disney, Disney World, and Universal, to ensure a focus on safety and reliability. Discussions with its German partners are ongoing, aiming to advance the progress of this initiative.
"We formed an organization to offer innovative, U.S.-made products that are architecturally appropriate and visually appealing"
On the other hand, SPD Lab’s research team is advancing solar mobility and sustainable power. AGP, together with SPD Lab, is further investing in new capital equipment to enhance production capabilities, even for custom projects. It can now produce facade wall glass treated with colors to resemble marble, bronze, gold, red, or white, creating beautiful facades that integrate effortlessly into building designs. Although there is a slight efficiency trade-off, this approach enhances the aesthetic appeal and opportunities for incorporating solar technology into building exteriors, aligning with the company’s mission.
Driven by a passion for renewable energy that transcends mere business interests, AGP is poised to become a transformative force in the U.S. solar manufacturing industry. Through next-gen technological solutions and strategic collaborations, the company is heralding an age of sustainability for tomorrow.
Aesthetic Green Power (AGP), together with SPD Lab and Solar Mobility Corp., is an organization founded on the belief that quality solar energy can be both functional and aesthetically pleasing while increasing the scope for application and innovation. It has proven that transforming a building into an icon of sustainability and elegance is now an attainable goal. This is why it refers to its products as active building materials.
Climate change wait for no man and respect no borders. Let us all unite as one to tackle it. Time to act is now and we cannot afford to postpone
“We formed an organization to offer innovative, U.S.-made products that are architecturally appropriate and visually appealing,” says Joe Morrissey, CEO of Aesthetic Green Power.
“Active Building products have extensive applications in commercial buildings, greenhouses, transportation, and more. Collaboration with partners is paramount, bringing more innovations to solve critical problems. Let us all work together to make a difference in climate change,” says Frank Pao, CEO of SPD Lab and Acting CEO of Solar Mobility Corp.
Unlike standard, monotonous solar modules, the organization excels in designing architecturally appropriate solar units that blend seamlessly with various infrastructures—from overhead transportation systems to rooftops and canopies. It focuses on a variety of solar technologies, including solar electric, solar thermal, and other solar conversion technologies, while also exploring renewable energy sources like biomass. Its cutting-edge solar technology with building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products seamlessly fuses art and functionality, changing the perception of solar energy as purely utilitarian.
To make this mission a success, AGP, along with SPD Lab, has collaborated with a diverse group of dedicated professionals across countries. These partnerships have enabled the company to innovate and address the prevalent issue of solar manufacturing being monopolized by cheap imports, with at least 90 percent of U.S. solar products being made overseas. Proudly, its products are made in the USA, allowing customers to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives.
"Though silicon is still in abundance, we should use it wisely by building products aiming to last 40-50 years to be more sustainable"
Next-Gen Technology: Driving Efficiency, Cutting Costs
Originally a Swiss company, Atlantis Energy Systems, Inc., later became an American company and owns the Sunslate IP. After the technology was perfected, it was installed in numerous housing subdivisions in Sacramento, and installations soon expanded throughout the U.S. and Europe. Considering the incremental advancements in solar efficiency, the company invented the BITERS (Building Integrated Thermal Electric Roofing Systems) technology, which could double solar efficiency in the Northeast and more than triple it in places like California and Arizona, helping achieve net-zero energy. Consequently, the company was awarded “World BIPV, Niche Player of the Year” by Frost & Sullivan in 2009. Though BITERS was successful, installation posed a significant concern due to the potential for errors. Since then, advancements have been made to prevent errors and shorten installation time. In 2017, AGP began a partnership with Columbia University’s engineering department. AGP handles manufacturing, while SPD Lab handles R&D. To educate professionals and students, SPD Lab and Columbia Engineering jointly wrote a book, Building Integrated Photovoltaic and Thermal Systems: Fundamentals, Design and Applications by Huiming Yin, Mehdi Zadshir, and Frank Pao, published by Elsevier Academic Press in 2022.
SPD Lab expanded its development operations to the U.S., enhancing its product line by manufacturing larger Eternit panels from the same high-grade class A material and laminating its solar cells onto these expanded substrates. This resulted in a robust, rapid-installation system that allows for 54 panels per 100 square feet, compared to earlier smaller plates that only accommodated 76 panels per 100 square feet. Both versions of solar panels support BITERS.
Over time, the AGP team observed that the system required numerous connectors and skilled, certified installers, making it a premium and costly product, typically used in upscale homes within the top 10 to 15 percent of the market.
The company decided to offer a more economical solution, and SPD Lab developed a tall slate product, increasing the output from 20 watts to 60 watts per panel to cover a larger area. AGP also provides a product called MegaSlate that produces around 200 watts of energy and can withstand extreme weather conditions. By designing a frame that can hold either 12 tall slates or four MegaSlates, along with the thermal components, SPD Lab has created a system tested to withstand extreme high winds of up to 125 mph.
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Our products are built to last, with warranties extending up to 25 years or more,” says morrissey. “to make sure their longevity, we continuously track performance over time, a testament to the durability and effectiveness of our products. Till now, we haven’t heard single callbacks on longevity concerns for our past projects
The entire setup sits on a frame with connecting points for both electrical and thermal components. It can be craned into position and secured to pre-installed cleats. Each module locks into place, and subsequent modules can be connected seamlessly. This reduces labor costs, speeds up installation, and offers a solution that can be finished with natural slate, ceramic, or fiber cement plates matching the building’s color scheme, resulting in a single roof plane with lowered labor costs. This method also avoids the need for systems that mimic asphalt shingles, which can trap heat and hinder efficiency. The goal is to maximize the amount of solar electricity generated from the roof, and AGP has succeeded in this mission.
For example, a homeowner in Gloucester, MA, reaped the benefits of the technology’s potential to maximize solar energy. He previously used fuel oil to heat his home, but by installing AGP’s Sunslates and the thermal system underneath, he cut his fuel oil costs in half. Thermal energy from the roof preheated the air for his fuel burner, reducing his fuel oil consumption while generating all the electricity he needed for his home. The system seamlessly blended into his elegant home’s design, with no unsightly rectangles on the roof.
“Our products are built to last, with warranties extending up to 25 years or more,” says Morrissey. “To make sure their longevity, we continuously track performance over time, a testament to the durability and effectiveness of our products. Till now, we haven’t heard single callbacks on longevity concerns for our past projects”.
Partnerships that Foster Growth
To this day, AGP has sustained relationships with former Swiss colleagues and various industry giants, combining forces to its best advantage in global competition. It maintains a strong presence in the transportation sector, partnering with Ottobahn, a German company specializing in green mobility solutions.
Currently, it is in the process of developing a new transportation system for Boston, actively pursuing federal grants for the project. Collaborating with the mayor’s and governor’s offices in Massachusetts, Solar Mobility Corp. aims to establish a transit system capable of traveling at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour within dense urban areas and up to 120 miles per hour between cities, all powered by renewable energy sources.
Together with Ottobahn, our organization is also working with the Autobahn, a federally controlled-access highway system in Germany, to develop a canopy system. This will supply energy during daylight hours and store energy for nighttime operations using a solar thermal concentrator system and biomass. The aim is to create a 24/7 energy system for transportation.
At the same time, our organization has partnered with designers who have over 40 years of experience with Disney, Euro Disney, Disney World, and Universal, to ensure a focus on safety and reliability. Discussions with its German partners are ongoing, aiming to advance the progress of this initiative.
"We formed an organization to offer innovative, U.S.-made products that are architecturally appropriate and visually appealing"
On the other hand, SPD Lab’s research team is advancing solar mobility and sustainable power. AGP, together with SPD Lab, is further investing in new capital equipment to enhance production capabilities, even for custom projects. It can now produce facade wall glass treated with colors to resemble marble, bronze, gold, red, or white, creating beautiful facades that integrate effortlessly into building designs. Although there is a slight efficiency trade-off, this approach enhances the aesthetic appeal and opportunities for incorporating solar technology into building exteriors, aligning with the company’s mission.
Driven by a passion for renewable energy that transcends mere business interests, AGP is poised to become a transformative force in the U.S. solar manufacturing industry. Through next-gen technological solutions and strategic collaborations, the company is heralding an age of sustainability for tomorrow.
